Smart-Device Spinner Toy

ABSTRACT

A spinner toy that can hold a cellular telephone, particularly those telephones known as “smartphones”. The toy can take any shape, color or configuration, but has a cavity on its upper surface that can receive a smartphone usually laid flat with the screen facing upward. The bottom of the toy has a protruding area that acts as a pivot so that the toy can be spun on a surface. An optional application can run in the smartphone that uses the accelerometer(s), compass and the like to sense the direction the front of the toy is pointing when it stops spinning or how long it spun or how fast. Various games or activities can be programmed to request the person being pointed at to perform some activity.

This application is related to, and claims priority from, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/707,582 filed Sep. 28, 2012. Application Ser. No. 61/707,582 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of toys and more particularly to a spinner toy that holds a smart device such as a smartphone.

2. Description of the Prior Art

It is known in the prior art to provide toys that children can spin about a point which end up pointing in a particular direction. A very well-known game is spin-the-bottle where a bottle is laid flat and spun. Many different toys have also been made in the past that can be spun in a similar fashion.

Cellular telephones and other devices with extra processing capability known typically as “smartphones” are common and can wirelessly download applications (apps.) that are stored and execute on a processor in the device. In addition, many such smartphones contain accelerometers and compasses.

It would be very advantageous to have a spinner toy that could hold a smartphone with an optional application executing in the smartphone that can placed on a flat surface and spun by the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a spinner toy that can hold a cellular telephone, particularly those telephones known as “smartphones”. The toy can take any shape, color or configuration, but has a cavity on its upper surface that can receive a smartphone usually laid flat with the screen facing upward. The bottom of the toy has a protruding area that acts as a pivot so that the toy can be spun on a surface. An optional application can run in the smartphone that uses the accelerometer(s), compass and the like to sense the direction the front of the toy is pointing when it stops spinning or how long it spun or how fast. Various games or activities can be programmed to request the person being pointed at to perform some activity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Attention is now directed to several drawings that illustrate features of the present invention:

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention configured as a bug.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention configured as a bottle.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the embodiment of FIGS. 3-4.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment configured as an arroe.

FIG. 7 shows details of the location of a pivot point and centers of gravity.

FIG. 8 shows details of the pivot.

FIG. 9 shows a situation where the center of gravity of the telephone is located closer to the end of the device than in FIG. 8.

Several drawings and illustrations have been presented to aid in understanding the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited to what is shown in the figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention relates to a toy, device or other object that will be called a spinner that can receive a portable telephone such as a smartphone in a cavity or cradle on the top of the toy, or clip onto a smartphone, such that the telephone lies substantially flat and somewhat flush with the device. While the preferred orientation is substantially flat, the smart device or telephone can be place in any position. The spinner device has a protrusion or pivot on its bottom surface so that, when placed on a relatively flat surface, it can be freely spun. The telephone or other smart device can be optionally running an application (App) that senses the direction the toy is pointing when it stops using the accelerometer and/or compass in the phone or other parameter such as spin speed or length of spin time.

More particularly, the smart device spinner device of the present invention is designed so that any smart device (such as an iPad™, iPhone™, iPod™, Droid™ or other telephone) can be spun easily on a surface. There are several embodiments that can accomplish this. In a cradle embodiment, the smart device is put into an open tray in the top and lies flat within the device. In a clip embodiment, a flexible clip can be slid or snapped around the smart device holding the telephone. In either case the device has a bump or pivot on the bottom allowing it to be spun on a surface.

An application (App) can optionally be installed on the smart device so that when the device is spun, it allows one or more participants to engage in a social interactive play which may be either a game or activity. This can be accomplished by utilizing one or more of the compass, accelerometer, camera, microphone and/or GPS or any other position or motion sensing technology within the smart device. The application can be a set of executable instructions that are downloaded into the smart device wirelessly from a network as is known in the art. The application can respond to where the device is located, how fast the device is spun, or which direction the device is pointing.

The smart device can contain software and graphics that react to the spinning and/or handling of the device. The application can mediate the game or activity based on how fast the device was spun, where it is pointed when stopped or started, where it stopped last, how long it spun and so on. In one particular example of basic play, the device is spun, and when it comes to rest, it knows which direction it is pointing. The person it is pointing at must perform some activity to advance either the game or the activity.

The present invention can also be themed as a preschool themed bug centerpiece or other creature to promote activity play with toddlers. The play would be based on spinning the device and structuring simple game play or activity. Alternatively, the present invention can be styled in many other ways such as an abstract arrow, a bottle, a large bug, or any other styling. The particular styling can relate specifically to the consumer. The styling will typically also dictate how the application appears on the display screen as well. In addition to spinning, for instance, if the present invention is themed as a bottle, the screen can show liquid that appears to slosh around as it is picked up and drain out of the top of the screen if someone mimics drinking out of the bottle.

Turning to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention styled as a bug. The spinner body 1 contains a cavity 3 that is adapted to receive a cellular telephone 2, in particular a smartphone. The body 1 is typically flat and elongated with a particular direction being the “head”. In FIG. 1, this is the end with theme eyes and antennae.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1. The protrusion or bump 4 on the lower surface of the spinner body 1 can be clearly seen. This bump acts as a pivot for spinning the device on a surface.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention configured in the shape of a bottle. Again, the spinner body 1 receives a smartphone or other smart device in a cavity or by means of a clip. FIG. 4 shows a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 3. Again, the bump pivot 4 is clearly seen. FIG. 5 shows a perspective view.

FIG. 6 shows a different embodiment shaped like an arrow.

FIGS. 7-9 demonstrate how the present invention works. FIG. 7 shows the location of both the center of gravity of the spinner body 1 and of the smart device 2. FIG. 8 shows an ideal situation where the center of gravity of the combination of the body 1 and the smart device 2 are centered over the pivot. FIG. 9 shows a situation where the total center of gravity is shifted laterally.

FIG. 7 shows a general layout of the device. In FIGS. 7-9, the device is not styled; rather the intent of these figures highlight the functionality of the pivot. Both the smart device 2 and the spinner body 1 have their own centers of gravity, noted as A and B in FIG. 7. Different user's telephones vary in size and weight. This causes the pivot point on which the whole unit spins will vary (it will be somewhere between A and B).

FIG. 8 shows a close up of the pivot 4. The preferred shape of the pivot is not a needle point, but rather a section of a very large radius sphere. If everything is perfectly balanced, the center is the point marked C in FIG. 8. When spun, only the smallest portion of the sphere touches the surface, much like a needle point, so the whole configuration spins freely with little friction.

FIG. 9 shows a more realistic situation. A smart device and spinner combination most likely yields a center of gravity that is not located in the center of the pivot. Because the pivot is a section of a large diameter sphere, the spinner body 1 automatically finds its own center on the pivot 4 to spin freely on. The center of gravity is shown to the left in FIG. 9. The new pivot contact point on the surface is marked as D.

Several descriptions and illustrations have been presented to aid in understanding the present invention. A person with skill in the art will realize that numerous changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Each of these changes and variations is within the scope of the present invention. 

We claim:
 1. A flat, spinable device having an upper and lower surface comprising: a cavity adapted to receive a handheld telephone in the upper surface of said device; a pivot point on the lower surface of said device; wherein, said device together with said handheld telephone can be spun on said pivot point; a set of executable instructions configured to be stored and execute on a processor in a handheld telephone inserted into said cavity, said executable instructions capable of accessing sensors and a display in said handheld telephone and present data to the display relating to said device being spun.
 2. The flat spinable device of claim 1 wherein said device has a head and a tail.
 3. The flat spinable device of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions are configured to sense at least one of: final pointing direction of said device, speed of spin, and length of spin time.
 4. The flat spinable device of claim 1 wherein said executable instructions are configured to request an action from a player pointed to by said device after the device stops spinning.
 5. The flat spinable device of claim 1 wherein said sensors include a compass, accelerometer, camera, microphone or GPS
 6. The flat spinable device of claim 1 wherein said device is themed as a bottle and said executable instructions are configured to show water sloshing on said display as the device is spun.
 7. The flat spinable device of claim 1 wherein said device is themed as an arrow, a bottle or a large bug.
 8. The flat spinable device of claim 1 wherein said set of executable instructions can be downloaded into a handheld telephone wirelessly from a network.
 9. The flat spinable device of claim 1 wherein said set of executable instructions is configured to present different displays based on where the device is located, how fast the device is spun, or which direction the device is pointing.
 10. A spinable device having an upper and lower surface comprising: a member adapted to receive a smart electronic unit in the upper surface of said device; a pivot region on the lower surface of said device; wherein, said device together with said smart electronic unit can be spun on said pivot region; a set of executable instructions configured to be stored and execute on a processor in a smart electronic unit inserted into said device, said executable instructions capable of accessing sensors and a display in said smart electronic unit and present data to the display relating to said device being spun.
 11. The spinable device of claim 10 wherein said executable instructions are configured to sense at least one of: final pointing direction of said device, speed of spin, and length of spin time.
 12. The spinable device of claim 10 wherein said executable instructions are configured to request an action from a player pointed to by said device after the device stops spinning.
 13. The spinable device of claim 10 wherein said set of executable instructions is configured to cause said smart electronic unit to present different displays based on where the device is located, how fast the device is spun, or which direction the device is pointing.
 14. The spinable device of claim 10 wherein the device is configured as a child's toy.
 15. A method for creating a spinable toy comprising: providing a flat member devoce with a cavity or holding region adapted and sized to receive and hold a smartphone; configuring said flat member device with a rounded underside; providing a set of executable instructions downloadable from a network into a smartphone that are configured to cause said smartphone to react to being spun.
 16. The method of claim 15 wherein said flat member is themed as a child's toy.
 17. The method of claim 15 wherein said set of executable instructions accesses features in the smartphone including an accelerometer, a compass, a camera or a microphone.
 18. The method of claim 15 wherein said executable instructions are configured to request an action from a player pointed to by said device after the device stops spinning.
 19. The method of claim 15 wherein said executable instructions are configured to sense at least one of: final pointing direction of said device, speed of spin, and length of spin time.
 20. The method of claim 15 wherein said set of executable instructions is configured to cause said smartphone to present different displays based on where the flat member device is located, how fast the flat member device is spun, or which direction the flat member device is pointing. 